US water crisis threatens Corpus Christi and petrochemical hub

Corpus Christi, a city in the US state of Texas, is at risk of becoming one of the first major American cities in modern times to face severe limits on water for daily use by 2027 if significant rainfall does not arrive soon.

The city has been hit by a prolonged drought that has depleted its main water sources, raising the possibility of a formal water emergency and a mandatory 25% cut in water use across households and businesses.

Reservoirs at historic lows

Corpus Christi’s two main water sources, Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir, have dropped to around 7.8% of combined capacity, a historic low after years of drought. 

If heavy rain does not arrive, city officials may have to declare a Level 1 Water Emergency in September. That would mean available supply could fall short of demand within 180 days, triggering stricter conservation measures.

Several factors have pushed Corpus Christi towards crisis: declining rainfall, rising temperatures that accelerate evaporation, heavy industrial water demand and the city’s long reliance on surface water from lakes and reservoirs. The city has also gone nearly three decades without significantly expanding new water sources, even as population and industrial demand have grown.

Corpus Christi city manager Peter Zanoni has acknowledged that the city is facing a deeply worrying situation and that past planning did not prepare the region for a crisis of this scale.

Residents and schools under pressure

The city has already imposed water-use restrictions. Lawn watering has been banned since 2023, while car washing and watering plants are limited to designated days. Those who violate the rules can face a US$500 fine for a first offence and may risk water service cuts if they continue to exceed their quota.

If the situation worsens, a September emergency declaration could force all sectors to cut water use by 25%. However, Mayor Paulette Guajardo has opposed cutting off water to households, saying leaving people without water is unacceptable.

Schools in Corpus Christi remain open, but they may face higher costs from buying drinking water or drilling their own wells to support bathrooms and sports fields. If the crisis deepens, schools could be forced to shift to online learning or temporarily close.

Petrochemical industry faces major risk

The largest pressure falls on the region’s petrochemical sector, which is the biggest water user in the area or  more than 60% of regional water use, while other US reports have also highlighted heavy industrial demand as a major factor in the crisis.

One Exxon plastics plant alone reportedly uses about 13 million gallons of water per day, more than all the city’s swimming pools use combined over an entire summer.

If multinational industrial operators are required to reduce water use by 25%, some production lines could be partially or fully shut down. Industry representatives have warned that without a stable water source, long-term competitiveness will become difficult, while shutdowns could lead to job losses and broader economic damage.

The crisis matters beyond the city because Corpus Christi is a key US energy and petrochemical hub. Water scarcity could affect fuel, plastics and manufacturing supply chains if industrial operations are disrupted.

Race for emergency water sources

To address the immediate threat, the city has accelerated groundwater drilling under emergency orders from the Texas state government. Hospitals and educational institutions have also sought permits to drill their own wells to ensure water for surgeries and essential operations.

Corpus Christi had earlier proposed a desalination project to turn seawater into drinking water as a long-term solution, but the plan was cancelled after its estimated cost exceeded US$1.2 billion. The idea is now back in discussion, with several private companies proposing new projects.

One proposal comes from AXE H2O, which wants to build a US$1.3 billion desalination plant using natural gas instead of electricity to reduce operating costs. The Texas Tribune reported that the company has projected a project cost of about US$1.3 billion, though some city council members have asked for more detailed information.

Political and environmental disputes

The longer the city takes to settle on a solution, the more political tensions are rising. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has criticised city leaders over the slow response and warned that the state may have to intervene in the city’s water management if the situation does not improve.

There are also environmental concerns over desalination, particularly the discharge of highly salty brine into Corpus Christi Bay, which could harm the local ecosystem. New proposals have tried to reduce local opposition by suggesting that brine be discharged farther offshore into the Gulf of Mexico instead.

If rain does not refill the reservoirs, Corpus Christi could face even more severe measures, including rotating water supply by zone. In a worst-case scenario, the city may even have to consider moving residents out of the area temporarily.

A warning for water-stressed regions

The Corpus Christi crisis is a warning for fast-growing industrial areas that depend heavily on water while climate change makes rainfall patterns less reliable. It also shows how water security can quickly become an economic, social and political risk when drought collides with industrial growth.

Thailand is facing similar concerns over water security as El Niño risks rise. Earlier assessments warned that the country could face a “dual water crisis” in 2026, with possible water shortages in many areas and pressure on both household and industrial supplies. The Provincial Waterworks Authority has been monitoring 20 branches at risk of shortages, while drought-response plans are being accelerated nationwide.

The risk is especially relevant to Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor, where rising industrial investment and population growth could increase pressure on water supplies if drought and extreme heat intensify. Previous warnings have pointed to the need for stronger water management, storage planning and climate adaptation to protect both communities and strategic industries.